Snack Talk: A Class Wide Intervention to Increase Peer Interactions of Preschool Students at Mealtimes

Abstract

This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of a class wide social skill intervention during preschool mealtimes. Previous research indicates that naturalistic, class wide, routine based interventions are more likely to be implemented by teachers and classroom staff than individualized interventions. Additional research supports the use of visual supports to encourage the peer to peer interactions of children at mealtimes. Results from this study confirm the findings of previous research. Children were more likely to interact with peers during the intervention condition than in the baseline condition. Children showed an increased likelihood that they would interact with their peers and decreased likelihood that they would interact with adults and teachers. Furthermore, the presence of this intervention elicited conversations on a wider variety of topics than in the baseline condition. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.